Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39853944›Full record

SynthesisPM & R : the journal of injury, function, and rehabilitation2025

Effects of mirror therapy on motor and functional recovery of the upper extremity in subacute stroke: Systematic review and meta-analysis.

Yuan-Lun Hsieh, Tzu-Ying Yang, Zi-You Peng, Ray-Yau Wang, Hui-Ting Shih, Yea-Ru Yang

Abstract readSystematic ReviewMeta-Analysis
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in PM & R : the journal of injury, function, and rehabilitation, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Trial
  3. Review
  4. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Yuan-Lun HsiehDepartment of Physical Therapy and Assistive Technology, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan.
Tzu-Ying YangDepartment of Physical Therapy and Assistive Technology, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan.
Zi-You PengDepartment of Physical Therapy and Assistive Technology, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan.
Ray-Yau WangDepartment of Physical Therapy and Assistive Technology, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8738-796X
Hui-Ting ShihDepartment of Physical Therapy and Assistive Technology, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan.
Yea-Ru YangDepartment of Physical Therapy and Assistive Technology, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1548-3511

Funding

National Science and Technology Council MOST 110-2314-B-A49A-508-MY3
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveTo review and synthesize existing evidence on the effect of mirror therapy (MT) on motor and functional recovery and the effect of unimanual and bimanual MT in individuals with subacute stroke. METHODOLOGY: PubMed, Physiotherapy Evidence Database, Cochrane, and Airiti Library were searched for relevant studies. Randomized and pilot randomized controlled trials comparing MT with sham MT or conventional therapy were included. Three researchers independently reviewed eligible studies for study design, participants' characteristics, intervention, and outcome measures and assessed study quality. The Physiotherapy Evidence Database scale was used to evaluate the methodological quality of included studies, and the Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool was used to assess the risk of bias. SYNTHESIS: Fifteen studies with 546 participants were included. An overall effect of MT was found for motor impairment (effect size [95% confidence interval]: 0.473 [0.274-0.673], p < .001), motor function (0.266 [0.059-0.474], p = .012), and activities of daily living (ADL) (0.461 [0.25-0.671], p < .001), compared with controls. There was a significant difference in motor impairment (0.39 [0.134-0.647], p = .003), motor function (0.298 [0.003-0.593], p = .048), and ADL (0.461 [0.157-0.766], p = .003) in favor of bimanual MT compared with controls. No significant effect was found for unimanual MT.

conclusionMT, specifically bimanual MT, is an effective intervention for improving motor recovery, motor function, and ADL in individuals with subacute stroke, whereas unimanual MT does not show significant benefits in these areas.

Indexed as

Mirror Movement TherapyRecovery of FunctionStrokeStroke RehabilitationUpper ExtremityActivities of Daily LivingHumans

Identifiers

PMID39853944
PMCPMC12065093

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.